Ugly Betty Recap: Episode 17, "Sugar Daddy"

Ugly Betty Rundown: Episode 17, "Sugar Daddy"

This week's episode of Ugly Betty is ripped from the super-crazy-depressing recession headlines that have been ruining all of our days for months now. I guess I'm not surprised the gloomy financial news finally seeped into my Thursday night television lineup but I'm not totally happy about it.

Thankfully, there was also a story woven in there about people down on their luck (surprise! The Suarez family) miraculously coming out on top, plus some smooshy relationship stuff to boot. So all in all pretty solid episode in terms of not boring me. Ready to chat about it? Just read more.

First off, Betty comes out to the kitchen in all black and looks good! The family is shocked at how chic she looks, and Justin even tears up. She says she's only dressed like that because Mode is in financial ruin and Daniel's girlfriend is dying.

And then she turns around and there's a big, weird bow on her butt.

Matt and Betty are going pretty hot and heavy — he even sends her jelly beans with a heart balloon to the office! Cute or lame?

Wilhelmina is cranky. Connor left her, stole all the money, etc. She takes her anger out on an employee wearing gladiator sandals ("Will you be wrestling in Rome?!") and fires her.

Amanda has her own little subplot this week that involves her estranged parents. Marc walks up to her at the front desk yelling into the phone, "Leave me alone, you psycho!" Which she's saying to her mother. Ha!

Mode is in a ton of trouble, Daniel's sad because Molly is dying, and then we learn the Suarez family is being evicted unless they can raise thousands of dollars to buy the house themselves. Stressful!

Hilariously, the whole family chips in to start saving, including Justin, who skips school to panhandle downtown. I can't believe he was singing a song out there with the lyrics, "Money makes the world go round!"

How many of you caught Matt's alarmed concern for the fate of Betty's family when he was visiting during the cook-off? Between that little scene and Hilda pointing out that Matt forgetting his wallet a lot is weird, I knew Matt had a huge secret.

Turns out he's loaded! There are worse secrets for new boyfriends to have, lemme tell ya. He sends Betty a secret check for $10,000 and when she finds out, she gets super-mad. He says the exact wrong thing a person ought to say to their struggling girlfriend from Queens: "We throw money like this at charity all the time." Betty: "I'm not your charity."

But then she says sorry and they have a cute kiss at the end. Also, he's worth billions and looks more and more like Josh Groban every time I look at him.

The best part of the episode is Daniel and Willi's plea to Congress for a bailout from the government. They try to do the right thing and take the bus to the hearing (Willie tries to use a credit card, Daniel only has a 50 dollar bill) and blow the whole thing when they're caught by a tabloid getting wasted off a $400 bottle of wine at a fancy restaurant. Willi: "To be fair, Congressman, it was the only drinkable thing on the menu."

When Daniel stands up and declares he's not going to take taxpayer money because of the laid-off auto workers or something and will liquidate all of his assets to save the company and jobs, I felt it was all a tad much. Do we really need our depression-era fables this heavy-handed?

Finally, Marc and "Willi-mini" is pretty fun. He uses the baby to pick up a single dad but decides the dad is boring because all he talks about is his "stupid baby."

So Daniel's all in: If Mode goes bust, so does he. Betty's got a new billionaire boyfriend, Ignacio saves the family with his mole sauce, and Amanda's no longer mad at her parents. Also, Daniel is going to be there for Molly. Another sad but touching ending to this week. What did you all think?

I love the Ugly Betty Show...I do not think Matt looks like Josh Groban- (actually my 23 yr old son does and has been asked for his autograph in LA many times!He is graduating in Theatre this May-) The Ugly Betty Show is entertaining always, Betty looks wonderful this season, and all the characters are in full bloom! love the show!

alesimas, I sort of agree. They keep the love interests fairly realistic for her character (the very first curly haired guy especially), but she does seem to always have a lot of guys interested in her. As long as they don't try to sneak in some investment banker type, I'll play along.I don't know how to say it, but I'm getting a little tired of her "must do the right thing" attitude. If someone gave me an anonymous $10,000 check I'd make sure it wasn't part of some Nigerian dead dictator scam and cash it. Especially if it was really needed.I think it was more tolerable at the beginning because all of the other characters were so horrible towards her. But since they've started humanizing them all a bit more, it's time for Betty to loosen up a bit.Gio was probably the best match for Betty, but I like Matt with her too. Willing to give it a chance and see where it goes.

alesimas, I sort of agree. They keep the love interests fairly realistic for her character (the very first curly haired guy especially), but she does seem to always have a lot of guys interested in her. As long as they don't try to sneak in some investment banker type, I'll play along.
I don't know how to say it, but I'm getting a little tired of her "must do the right thing" attitude. If someone gave me an anonymous $10,000 check I'd make sure it wasn't part of some Nigerian dead dictator scam and cash it. Especially if it was really needed.
I think it was more tolerable at the beginning because all of the other characters were so horrible towards her. But since they've started humanizing them all a bit more, it's time for Betty to loosen up a bit.
Gio was probably the best match for Betty, but I like Matt with her too. Willing to give it a chance and see where it goes.

OMG This is really bad but I almost died when they sent Betty in to be her dad's replacement and the host was like "Good strategy sending in the sturdy girl."
And yes I'm agreeing with the above posts that Gio was the best although Matt is kinda cute too.

OMG This is really bad but I almost died when they sent Betty in to be her dad's replacement and the host was like "Good strategy sending in the sturdy girl."And yes I'm agreeing with the above posts that Gio was the best although Matt is kinda cute too.

Ok, I'm just gonna say it, cause it's killing the love that I once had for this show. People evolve. As much as I love Betty from what she is, I think it's time for her to start showing some changes.Grow up! I was so happy when she dressed all black, it was already something. She now seems to understand Mode a little better, so really, let's start this make over, even if gradually. Also, it may sound awful but... in what world does a girl that like Betty get boys all the time? I dunno, the show became so slow, so repetitive... It's a shame really, and the thing is ... if it keeps going like this, it wont be renewed and we won't even have a chance to see all that it should turn out to be.Even Chuck is turning into a spy, little by little. Why can't Betty dress with only two , or three colors? :)

Ok, I'm just gonna say it, cause it's killing the love that I once had for this show. People evolve. As much as I love Betty from what she is, I think it's time for her to start showing some changes.Grow up! I was so happy when she dressed all black, it was already something. She now seems to understand Mode a little better, so really, let's start this make over, even if gradually. Also, it may sound awful but... in what world does a girl that like Betty get boys all the time?
I dunno, the show became so slow, so repetitive... It's a shame really, and the thing is ... if it keeps going like this, it wont be renewed and we won't even have a chance to see all that it should turn out to be.
Even Chuck is turning into a spy, little by little. Why can't Betty dress with only two , or three colors? :)

I liked the episode, but I'm the one Betty fan who likes most of them! My TV cut out at a few points but when Christina was with the baby she was saying things about raising the baby is the true mother, does that mean she wants to raise Willi's baby?? I was confused! I liked the guy playing the chef, even though they cheated, because he's in Secret Life of An American Teen, which I watch for some ODD REASON!

I liked the episode, but I'm the one Betty fan who likes most of them!
My TV cut out at a few points but when Christina was with the baby she was saying things about raising the baby is the true mother, does that mean she wants to raise Willi's baby?? I was confused!
I liked the guy playing the chef, even though they cheated, because he's in Secret Life of An American Teen, which I watch for some ODD REASON!

Le sigh. I'm just waiting for the Betty/Daniel to start up, and then I'll continue watching. I guess I'm a fair-weather fan, but the storylines were getting too hashed-up for me, and I felt after missing two episodes I was already behind, so now I'm just waiting. :)

I'm a bit bored with the Betty romances...they seem to be rehashed and although I like Matt, I don't find the chemistry between them convincing. Gio had the best chemistry with Betty. He wasn't the hottest guy, but he definitely looked at her like she was the most beautiful thing...I fell in love with him.